Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This winter we received a strategic plan through Arctic College. Last week we received a ten year plan from the Keewatin divisional board, including a year to year plan. Mr. Speaker, does the Department of Education have a capital plan to coordinate with those two plans which Arctic College and the Keewatin divisional board have made?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, it is our intention to have a capital plan which corresponds with an approved and agreed to plan, under the primary and secondary program and Arctic College. Once we have the plans put into place we will, hopefully, have a capital plan which responds to those needs. That is my intention.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a follow-up to Mr. Ningark's question to the Minister of Social Services regarding welfare reform. Mr. Speaker, I was intrigued to hear the Minister say that before she can deal with the issue of welfare reform within the Department of Social Services, she will need to stick handle issues which she was handed by her predecessor. This caught my attention, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to...

Point of order, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not say, "before I stick handle," I said, "Once I am done stick handling the issues, I will have more time in my hands to look into the concerns the Members raise in this House." Thank you.

I am not sure that is a point of order. Although I do not have the Hansard before me, "stick handling" is a figure of speech. I think most people in this House will take it as that. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I understood the Minister's statement. She is basically saying that before she can deal with the issues that have been raised in this House, she has to stick handle her way around certain issues. What are these more pressing issues the Minister has to stick handle which are getting in the way of her pursuing welfare reform with the department? What are those issues she has to work on before welfare reform?

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have just finished with Iqaluit social services assistance program issues, and I have just returned from Fort Smith this morning. Those issues have taken much of my time, but things are now under control. I will have more time with my deputy ministers to address some of the concerns which have been raised in this House. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to the answer provided in this House to Mr. Ningark's question on Friday, the department has already done the work of reviewing existing regulations and identifying changes required to increase the amount of income people can earn, without jeopardizing their benefits to provide direct support for the traditional harvesting activities and to raise the asset limit. This suggests that the departmental work has already been done. I would like to ask the Minister, since the departmental work already seems to have been done, what is preventing the Minister from introducing these regulatory changes in the near future? Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nothing is preventing me from introducing these changes. The honourable Member knows the procedures which have to take place. He has been on Cabinet before. I have yet to take them to Cabinet. Once that has gone through, I will inform this House. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I have been on Cabinet before and I appreciate the Member's acknowledgement of that. Mr. Speaker, I know from my experience on Cabinet that changing regulations is a rather easy matter. It does not require legislation. A Minister can move quite quickly to change regulations. I would like to ask the honourable Minister, how soon does she expect she will be able to put these regulatory changes through, which have been identified to implement welfare reform and get people more inclined to work, more inclined to participate in the renewable resource economy and less dependent on welfare? How long is it going to take? Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a funding component to it. So, if the honourable Member wants me to say at such and such a date, he knows very well the procedures in the Cabinet. It will take at least until the end of this fiscal year before I can adequately look at what is at hand. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the 1992-93 building season, we worked with the NWT Construction Association to implement a pre-construction training program which will be going on next year. It was designed by the NWT Construction Association. These are two different issues altogether. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.